The Angry Lurker's & Ray's 20 Questions

Well, on a bunch of blogs that I follow has been have a round of 20 questions going around that was started off on The Angry Lurker's & Don't Throw A 1 blog sites (see in my list of followed blogs to the right).  It is sort of social "get to know you" practice.  Since I have several blog followers that I have never met properly, I figure that this might be a worthwhile exercise.  The only problem being is that my answers are really only good for the seconds that I typed up these answers...like the wind, I am continuously changing.  So here we go...

1.  Favourite Wargaming period and why?

This is a very hard one to answer as I have many favorites.  Really, the answer lies with the question of who am I gaming with?  Some gamers are a major killjoy and can cause me to really dislike playing even my favorite periods.  For example, I really enjoy WWII, Northwest Europe operations in 1944-45, but I have come to dread playing that period due to rivet counters or German worshipers who have more Panthers on the board then were ever made.  Luckily, most of the gamers that I game with now, I enjoy their company and would be happy to play in gaming periods I don't care for at all.  But I digress, for the purpose of this question, I am going to limit it to periods that I have miniatures and that I have already game with so far.  So currently, I would have to say my favorite gaming period would be French & Indian War as that is the most current gaming project and I just ran a play test of it recently. 

2.  Next period, money no object?

Again, way too many to pick from.  I pretty much have started many various gaming periods that I want to do, so I guess for this comes down more towards what I really want to get finish that is barely started.  So I that boils down to the American Civil War in Missouri and west of the Mississippi River.

Lucy Hood, staunch Unionist, inspires the boys of Sigel's command at Carthage, Missouri, 1861

3.  Favourite 5 films?

So many movies to choose from as my mood for type of movies change depending on what genre I want to see.  This is what I would pick at this moment in alphabetical order:

2001: A Space Odyssey
John Carpenter's The Thing 
Maltese Falcon
Patton
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
(with honorable mention - favorite movie series: the Harry Potter movies) 

4.  Favourite 5 TV series?

I can still think of more than 5 TV shows that I enjoy, but this is a little easier as I don't watch much TV at all.  Again, this is in alphabetical order:

Connections
Due South
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
The Big Bang Theory
The Tick (both the animated and live action versions)

5.  Favourite book and author?

Again, way too many to choose from because of my different interests and moods to have one favorite.  It is very difficult to pick just one.  I guess if I have to pick just one, I have probably read "At the Mountains of Madness", by H.P. Lovecraft the most times over again. 

An ancient city at the Mountains of Madness

6.  Greatest General? Can’t count yourself!!

How does one rank greatest?  Undefeated?  Innovative?  Popular and Charismatic with his troops?  It is hard for me to say, because the challenges face by the different Generals are not equal, especially in regards to different time periods.  So, I am just going say, Nathaniel Lyons, USA, 1861.  He had the aggressiveness the most Union Generals lack in 1861. Plus he successfully save Missouri for the Union facing major challenges not by other generals, like having 75% of army available for less than for 90 days as their enlistment was expiring.

7.  Favourite Wargames rules?

This is fairly easy, anything from Two Fat Lardies.  I will give other rules a shake down, like All Things Zombie which appears to be pretty good.  Also an honorable mention to "Formula De", while it is not a wargame, I have been in some serious cut throat races with that game!

8.       Favourite Sport and team?

This is a hard one because I really don’t keep up with sports in general.  However every 10 or so years I get on a F1 Formula Racing kick for a few years.  So I will have to say that is my favorite sport and my favorite team would be Ferrari. 

9.       If you had a only use once time machine, when and where would you go?

Wow…I really have no clue.  Probably back to when I was 18 years old with all of the winning lottery ticket numbers up to now.

10.   Last meal on Death Row?

I really don’t know again.  Probably something with a lot of beans and spices so they remember me by!

11.    Fantasy relationship and why?

Lea Thompson, circa 1980’s…do you really need to ask why?

12.   If your life were a movie, who would play you?

William Scott "Jack" Elam

13.   Favourite Comic Superhero?

The Tick! (But also an honorable mention to Batmanuel.  He was no superhero, but he did become the mayor of Gotham City!)

14.   Favourite Military quote?

"Sign here and here.  Now here is a copy of your honorable discharge.  You are a free man now." - my last unit administrator NCO

15.   Historical destination to visit?

The Apollo 11 moon landing site

16.   Biggest Wargaming regret?

Buying way too much of everything!  I wish that I had spent more of that money towards other things.

17.   Favourite Fantasy job?

Idle rich so I can do anything but work and get paid for it

18.   Favourite Song, Top 5?

Again, way too many choices from me to pick from as I am very open to all kinds of music.  So I guess I will try to name five, but these could change in the next two minutes.

"One Particular Harbour" - Jimmy Buffett (This song made me into a Parrothead since 1983!)

"Alice's Restaurant Massacre" - Arlo Guthrie (This was the song that grew up on)

"Gothica / Fleurs du Mal" - Sarah Brightman (words can't do any justice to explain how amazing she is)
"The Suits are Picking Up the Bill" - Squirrel Nut Zippers (I love Big Band swing)
"Ohne dich" - Rammstein (I dare anyone not to get a little sappy watching the video to this song)

An honorable mention for "Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Wars" as my most favorite album.

19.   Favourite Wargaming Moment?

I have several fun events that happen in games that I played in, but really it is the comradeship of my fellow gamers that makes those events so fun.

20.  The miserable Git question, what upsets you?

Wow…that is a loaded question and I have way too many issues!  I guess I can sum it best as…other people.